This invention relates to a method and apparatus for cutting patterned sheets, in which a laminate composed of patterned sheets such as patterned cloth stacked with their patterns matched using needles is compressed by withdrawal of air and then cut.
In the prior art, patterned sheets such as patterned cloth are stacked on a laminate pedestal with their patterns matched. This is accomplished by holding the patterned sheets directly on a pedestal for a laminate, matching the pattern positions and then impaling the sheets on projecting needles. The laminate consisting of these patterned sheets is cut by the cutter of a cutting machine which is being manually guided. Since the needles are an impediment to cutting, the cutting of the laminate proceeds while the needles are withdrawn therefrom.
A cutting machine generally used in another example of the prior art holds the laminate of cloth or the like on a support surface by suction in a compressed state obtained by withdrawal of air, and the laminate is cut by an automatic cutter. However, since the cutting machine holds the laminate on the support surface by suction, it would not be possible to extract needle holders or the like if these are interposed between the laminate and the support surface while the laminate is being held by such suction.
In the conventional cutting of a laminate of patterned sheets relying upon the manual guidance mentioned above, the patterned sheets are stacked with their patterns matched using the needles. Nevertheless, since the needles impede the motion of the cutter when the cutting operation is performed, the cutting takes place while the needles holding the laminate in position are removed. Consequently, the laminate cannot be held in position just when it is most necessary. The result is inaccurate cutting caused by a shift in the positions of the patterns. Further, in the conventional cutting machine described above, a problem encountered is that since the needle holders cannot be extracted from between the laminate and it supporting surface, the patterns of the patterned sheets cannot be matched using needles capable of being attached to and detached from the needle holders.